Pages

Friday, June 15, 2012

Dr. Sears and Dr. Fuhrman

I wasn't going to voice my opinion, but I just can't help myself:-)
Who was shocked by the recent TIME magazine cover? I was shocked, and I practice attachment parenting and extended breastfeeding. I have yet to decide if TIME magazine used that photo as a shock factor or to divide mothers and women.
At any rate, Dr. Sears has always been a person who offers great insight into the practice of attachment parenting. I know some of you will roll your eyes at the mere thought of having a baby hanging on you and sleeping in your bed past a few weeks. (So why did you you have kids, anyway?)
After having seven "attached" kids, I can promise you that it is worth it! Looking back I can also say that it was time well spent and truly a short length of time when compared to mine and my child's entire life span.

*Indiana, 2 years old*

I have noticed too as the children grow that they mimic many of my actions and behaviors, for better or worse. I think at some point all of my children "nursed" a doll or stuffed animal. How wonderful that they are learning a natural way to care and nourish "babies."

* Me and Indiana (15 months)

Children who are raised with attachment parenting grow up have lots of self confidence, and it also instills compassion and nurturing skills within them.

If you are still carrying your baby around in the car seat then I must absolutely exclaim that not only are you creating more work for yourself, but your child is missing out on tons of stimulation and learning and comforting! Do yourself and your baby a favor and invest in a sling! There are many on the market, and although it might take a little time to adjust, it's well worth it! Also, don't believe the lie that babies past 6 months old are too big for attachment carriers, as most will hold toddlers up to 25 pounds!

Now let's move on to Dr. Joel Fuhrman.
In case you need an introduction, Dr. Fuhrman is a doctor and author and his books are fantastic. The two books I have and really like are "Eat To Live" and "Disease Proof Your Child."

His main focus is on a healthy, raw based diet that has very little meat or dairy. He's a health freak and that's cool. I have always liked him because what he preaches is very true and he has patients who can verify that his methods work and make people healthy.

As an American I find this "nanny state" type of attitude condescending and insulting. Last I checked it was still a free country and what I choose to put in my body is my choice. I know Fuhrman has an issue with milk, but has he considered that raw milk is much healthier? Why not use his energy to help combat the heavy FDA and Big Ag regulations so that local farmers and producers can provide healthy, local foods to their neighbors. Perhaps he could help Big Brother lift the ridiculous ban on selling raw milk, oh wait! Big Gov doesn't think we can make those types of food decisions on our own, hence the nanny state.

Dr. Fuhrman loves to brag that he has never consumed an entire soda! I say "big whoop!"

I wish he and all of the other totalitarian freaks in New York and elsewhere would crack open a history book and consider all of the sacrifices made so that we have the freedoms to choose to live in pursuit of happiness. Eventually, people must also take responsibility for their own actions. It is not the role of government to decide what we eat and do not eat.

Needless to say, Dr. Fuhrman dropped to the bottom of my list of people I think are worth listening to for dietary advice. His job is to present the advice and encourage others to make a decision on their own, not to force his beliefs on others.

********************

Tonight is movie night here at My Barefoot Farm.
I let the teenagers pick the movie, so we will sprawl out in lawn chairs and watch "Batman Begins."

I will happily pop some popcorn (New York wants to ban the sizes of popcorn containers at movies too), make some lemonade and sit back and enjoy the summer evening with family and friends.
The teens love these movie nights and we love to provide a fun and safe environment for them to hang out and socialize.

13 comments:

Great post. I totally agree about how absurd it is to have your child in a car seat at any other time than when they are actually in a car.I didn't know about these bans in New York, how dreadful, I'm all for freedom!And yes attachment parenting is great, I can't imagine it any other way.

I agree about baby/child wearing. I own a Moby or two:) also a couple baby Bjourn$...I go to the gym about 5 times a week and bring some of my kids. If the younger ones come it is from the car to Moby to child center back to Moby to car. I see so many strollers parked outside of the center. They bring the kitchen sink. I see those moms struggling with the stroller, the older toddlers, the door again. Don't get me started on the parking lot. They have a toddler wandering the lot while they get stroller out of the trunk..then while getting baby into it said toddler is still roaming in the empty spot next to them while a 18 yr old pulls up while texting almost killing their kid...the mom never sees it as she is still struggling with the stroller straps.

It's funny as I have breezed in and out of stores, gym, parks with 3 kids and had to help and open doors with someone who has 1 baby. I have never seen anyone wear a sling or carrier at our gym. I don't get it. Always that car seat.

We have always been asked "do your kids go to day care?" or the "your baby is soooo alert"i hate that they give the fact that my kids are super smart, super confident(don't cry when I leave etc) super alert and interactive at such a young age to a daycare or preschool. Some times those kids have a more "survival of the fittest" as opposed to true confidence and are often(not always) attention seeking and that is mistakenly seen as being friendly.

The same with stores. I'm in the grocery and they have those car seats in the shopping basket. My DH is an ER dr....you know how many carts get tipped...awful..They turn their back..the baby is left to stare at the ceiling or worse nothing as they often have the canopy up.

I feel I can do so much with my hands free. All my children are adopted from birth and from birth to about 2.5months I wear them from sun up to sun down. they sleep on me...eat on me...I did end up having to bottle feed due to meds I take but I keep them close to breast, eye contact etc..I saw a women trying to breast feed while texting in the gym locker room...she had no idea that her baby wasn't even latched on. she was holding her breast and texting with other hand....so odd

Yes, I need BOTH hands to usually hold the hands of my toddlers as we walk into stores, etc. I don't know why, but some moms just refuse to even try carrying their babies. They think it's too difficult? Not sure.

I have even seen women eating out with those bulky car seat carriers when a baby is just as content to be held or nursed.

Adopted all of your kids? Awesome! Was it domestically or internationally?

Yes, yes, yes!! I have, in the last 2.5 years, completely changed my eating habits. I eat a much healthier diet than I used to (though I've still got much to learn and plenty of room to improve). I used to drink a 24 pack of Cokes in a week. I never buy them anymore. Ever...well, with the exception of the occasional 2-liter if the kids are having a party or something.

That being said, if I want to drink a Coke, that should be my choice. It's insane the way that Americans have come to think that government should hold our hands about everything and decide every little aspect of our lives for us.

And, it's very scary that people can't see what a dangerous path we're headed down.

If a product is soooo bad for us to consume, and I think many of them are, then big government should stop the production and sale of it/them. I think the bans and the mention of bans cause Joe Public to get on the defensive and buy/stockpile more. I think they use these announcements as a marketing strategy to help sales increase and give the economy a boost. I am far from a student of economics, but I have watched these tactics over the last few decades--the products someone bad mouths are still being sold and have worse additives in them than they originally did. I am tired of having folks in elected positions (that do not necessarily indicate educational level), making the decisions for my life, for me and mine. The "experts" need to put the facts, the pros and the cons, side effects, etc. in the hands of the consumer and let the consumer choose to use them or not. Information is needed, not more lines drawn in the sand. BTW: I nursed all four of mine into toddler-hood and we slept with all of them until they outgrew the needs. I don't homeschool my kids, but I stongly support those that choose to and are able to.

We've been doing great. Miss seeing y'all. I think your post started something. I just had to have a fountain Coke when we went out to dinner Saturday night. I haven't had one in forever. (I do drink a glass or two from a 2-liter when I eat dinner at my sister, but that's not the same as a good, strong fountain Coke.) It was SO good. ;-) Now, I'm good to go for awhile.

You have adorable looking children. I just wrote an article, Attachment Parenting Causes an Abundance of Self-Esteem. Dr Fuhrman is a vegan. Humans are the only animals that consume milk as adults. In the documentary, Pumping Iron, Arnold Shwartzeneggar was asked if he drinks milk. His response was "No, milk is for babies." So if people want to consume milk then maybe they should suck it from a breast.

I lean toward libertarian which means that people should have a right to choose. But to defend both Fuhrman and Bloomberg, what people choose affects others. So if someone has a stroke because they are not taking care of their health and they do have not insurance, it could cost the state $300,000. Then that would be that much less (multiply that by many) the state has to spend on the schools that your kids go to. Although my article does mention John Holt being in favor of attachment parenting and home schooling.